Search

Last month, I was visiting my grandparents in Kolkata, and for the first time in so many years, my grandfather asked me to read him the morning papers. For someone who’s been very religious with his morning newspaper, it was sad for me to see him rely on someone else reading it out to him. Why? Because his eyes had become too weak.

You see, my grandfather is a healthy man, and his eyes giving way like this got me thinking, and I decided to find out if age and eyes are connected. Sure enough, it turned out that age, indeed, was the cause of his weak eyesight!

The ageing process brings about changes that have a direct bearing on the eyesight. Not only do the eyes suffer directly, the increasing fragility, and susceptibility to other ailments, of the body are detriment to the eyes as well. Some of the more common signs of age-related eye problems that I found are:

Floaters: These are small particles that float through your line of vision, and can be early signs of retinal detachment. One is, therefore, best advised to visit a doctor.

Excess Tears: No, not just because the elderly are more emotional! This is due to over-sensitivity to light, wind, or changes in temperature.

Aside from these, I found that the loss of clear sight, which is what prevented my grandfather from reading his papers, was due to old eyes not having the power to focus – a condition medically referred to as Presbyopia.

Of course, I took my grandfather to an ophthalmologist, and and we got him prescription reading glasses, which have since allowed him to read his newspaper. But the sad truth remains that age and eyes are inextricably linked, and unfortunately, the health of the latter deteriorates with the gain of the former. So, when are you having an eye check-up of the elders of your family?

Every day our eyes are being used for various reasons. Moreover, with most of our lives being driven by computer and TV screens, the pressure on the eyes is felt constantly. Just like the body needs relaxation and exercise, so do the eyes. Keep your eyes healthy by incorporating these few tips and eye exercises in your health regime. These will not only help ease the strain but also improve visual concentration.

Look away from the computer: Take a break from looking continuously at your computer screen. This can be every 20-30 minutes. This will help prevent headaches, blurry vision and dry eyes. Keep a distance of atleast 50-60 cms between your eyes and the computer screen and make sure there is adequate light in the room.

Take regular breaks: After many hours of being cooped up in air-conditioned rooms, the eyes tend to get dry and itchy. To avoid this, you must step out and take in as much fresh air as possible. Drinking plenty of water also hydrates the eyes.

Shut your eyes every now and then: A common eye relaxation method is to rub your palms till they get warm and place them on your eyes for a few seconds. Another practice often used is to shut your eyes tight and open again after 5-10 seconds. This helps release the pressure on strained eyes. Blinking repeatedly for a few times also helps moisten the eyes.

Play focus your gaze games: When you get a little time off, fix your gaze on one spot on the wall and then shift your gaze beyond it and finally stare at the same spot again. You could also take a pen from your desk, hold it far and gradually move it toward you, all the while keeping your gaze fixed on the pen.

Rotate your eyeballs: Move your eyeballs in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction atleast 7-10 times. Another similar technique, is to keep your head stationary on your shoulders and only move your eyeballs to see your right shoulder and then left.

Cool off: Absorb the greenery outside your window every few hours to take a break from the harsh rays of the computer screen. Relaxing in a dimly lit room, eye drops recommended by your doctor, or cucumber slices are some other ways to keep your eyes relaxed and stress-free.